The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-25

(%SSES& frosty air the many cnlorcd
6 IN Ftc2J stars sparkle with rcdou.
"a blcd h~rlliianCy, and Sirius,
SCy without a rival, sciuilllgtys
and hllzcs like an unpaul.
lclcd electric beacon az the gate of heaven
TO the contciuplatiyc mind this display Of
celestial maryrls at such a home seeking
time suggests irrsistiblc thoughts Ut the
University Of space Ia the midst OF which
our little planet home If situated. As We
gather around our Christmas hcarths, even
nj the foci Of terrestrial life, We are, after
nil, merely as so many mariners upon a
boundlcss ocean, pitiahly isolated from the
great ccntrrs OF the universe, but, ioriu-
natcly, for the most part, unconsgiou-oi
our isolation, and cuntentCd with our mar
row lot and our solitary situation.
We shall find no time more suitable
than the present Ia visit IN Imagination
some Of the wonders of the universe be-.
yond our little system. No traveller ever
dreamed Of such n voyage rs We can
make. with the Christmas blaze warming
our blood and cheering our hearts, while
our minds wander far away through the
illimitable, tncklcss regions Of open space
and behold suns and worlds, and the germs
Of them, without end.
Suppose We mount upon q comet which,
having visited our sun, and astonishcd the
inhabitants Of the solar system With its
stungo splendor, IL flying of into space
again 10 swing around other suns and
thread the intTicacics Of other systems
one OF those comets that travel in that
most wonderful Of oil paths, a hylcrholic
orbit.
A flash, q roar, a brcathlcss rush and
al....sl 4. k.lt.I u.,l l.1..H a.. Lin.
ing hall floating in the heavens, yaricmtcd
by the colons Oi liz continents and seas,
and capped by the white cNpanfps II it's
polar snowsl Close 10y il shines lis faith
ful comradc, the moon, linked with Il In
tho golden chains ri Ill. solar empire.
Aurural lights tint the carih'B gliitcring
poles with rosc color, and along H. TANKS
flashes the CLEAN 81 thc convcx oryln r.
hecting thcglow Oi the winter moon. Soon
all this vnishc-, and the earth shines
morrly M n faint star, Will" near IL, and
growing nearer M We rrcclc, hlaHys On"
sun. Around us II the bla,knrss ui space.
VI the comet had an atmosphere We should
have some dcgpc ut daylight upon n, hut
without an atmosphere the sunlight that
reaches M passes straight IN into space.
and with nothing to dlilu-c II, simply
eliminates those objects that II strikes
directly. II We look at our fellow Wv
ayers we see that that part Of their faces
which Is toward the sun IL brilliantly II.
Illuminated, while all the rrst * concealed
IN black shadow. The sun it~li never ap.
pcarrd IN wonderful. Al around Il arr
streams oi light, which sccm TO cutanatC
-1lrpm the solar body. nnd red flames appeal
d. play upon it, edccs. Before We la,
never seen the sun la an IT, glory, Tor N,
glarr Of ~ own light in the Caf.h's at
mospherr had hidden IL marvellous sur.
nundinp from u sight. IL, planet,
appear m spctks ui hight clr'inr around
their blazing center oi motiun. 900 larger ir
comparison Than tie sparks that Whiti it
the Cddics VI q c-onilagrition.
still the comet PUSHES On and uu, lu,
the planets disappear and only the sun rr
mains visible Oi ali the solar system, O
unctc -hu. not ~ lance ur brilliant us man,
others that shine around us. We mt'
well smile now ut thr thoughts Wc luuuprlI
entertained oi the immensely NJ our t,t
pstrinl dwelling place, and II the pymiuI
i~mprpbahility that a distant ftnr, iliutl,
glimincriur In the bosom oi night. coul,
lee the center II q sNsi,m II worlds %
grat ~, 90 gnat'r Than, Dun Hat "a.
"Iaamhs OF cratiom' the starry wilder
uoss' Of sIac', ~ h'iup' ur, aud th.
comet stops for naurhi. On and stll ur
Centuries ilov away Ike rEins Il Etn.
slipping through the ituryi~ that -tk 9
guep them, thousands NJ ypan pll co.'s,
~. and set the comet Nind,r~ oi i'- WAY
and The siUps II the uuiN,ieu Seem Is BIZ
rnt ns over The sun hss Disappear,
among the ilrungiug r,ar- behind uH n
long aru that memory rin not rull i
The EARTH What h the ,Iti7 uuc ru
old cOmct unor flashed rs % tiny ls,k ,
rock illuminated hy unc II Tee uuuupu
hlc little suns that it hus TUNED l..dr
visit, was that the Uarih' hut whom Wl
Il, and how hong ayu2 Ask au aul7tl II
may H. ublc 10 tell ror,haucn Be- oyJaI
30 exist pg,H urn, while We vprf rruH4ii
this sea II University, and the ruhDWur
lriur tia. inhabited h huyc vanished ID
a. thin ut Ike bubbles. 1T us sleep. I'd
thC wcauuyss ~ uu,udIur time gui ir
measurable sIao, h uIuu ma.
What rs tlz Sudden hlaar That IWULuI
us7 Now, heaven H. thanked. ~, hlU-a.
light ui asuu ~ once more iu our as,
The comet hWs found q nov partner iur u
TOYS, AMI alnudy. ukc q Bridegroom.
decking himrs,li iur the mrptiur N
s0lnr bcuns penetrate hs cold mpuhcl
the fin runs through his veins and oi
nash the spl,n1os that Do hu mot wo
since that Time la the misty pact when
came In al his glory NJ Christmas tide M
simtched us away irlm our little rlpI
home, which then rrUmrd M grand ia Z
Hut what ar thcs- worlds tlHt ", dart
10 We enter with Cuuvlar, dash into q
avenues II this new capital Of tpacr' Ey
our gTtat Jupiter would have Ia lower
majestic head Ia them. Aud What sun
this that lights them up With such uni
nginahlo splundor aud makes us think
have never seen "a true sun htiDru' ID
the star that was known tn ~ upon {
cuIih under the naiuo 1T Vega, aud %
sh0ne In out northern heavens iu I
constellation that We called the la
Astronomers told NJ that Il was 90 a.
forty times as bright ~ our Run. anil
thought ihuy vcp romancing. but o.
ing u believing only We can hardly got ,
eyesopcninth presence Of this girntict
god. How glunuus The illumination ihn
sheds upon the worlds ]thrungug grOu
Il, AMI how different from the daylight
were accustomed to- Tins sun shines "
n splendid blush light whose iutru.
and beauty ano beyond the power Of
preston. Tho astronomers dwelling ui
is worlds ar watching ~ o. We III
through their sky, and a magnificent n
tacle we must present, Tor our comet D
the firsi magnitude, aud the cnurm
electric influence Of the great sun, /
whose presence IL has ycnturod, has y
fed II with ten-fold splsndor. "
would those gazing astronomers Tin.
they could catch sight Of M mounted ~
this blazing comet and come a. visit 81
from thn utiermo-t bounds Of their vie
l..Ua.eag Wlal alFanRa atUlfH NIgfNNN